Press Release

International IDEA’s
1997 Democracy Forum
to be held in Stockholm
30 June to 4 July 1997

Stockholm, 19 June 1997-- Dr Frene Ginwala, Speaker of the South African National Assembly, Dr Sein Win, Prime Minister in Exile of Burma, and Mr Thorvald Stoltenberg, former UN Special Representative in former Yugoslavia are three of the some 200 high-level international politicians and experts who will gather in Stockholm 30 June to 4 July 1997 to attend the 1997 Democracy Forum organized by International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance).

For five days world leaders, opinion-makers and experts will meet and discuss the global development of democracy from varying angles.

“The wave of democracy which swept over us in the beginning of the 90s continues to grow in force but democracy today is under threat in many corners of the world,” says Bengt Säve-Söderbergh, Secretary-General of International IDEA. “With stolen elections, rampant corruption and cynical manipulation of the national media in many countries, the democracy agenda is at a critical turning point. A backlash favouring a return to authoritarian systems has become a worrying possibility in some regions.”

With a current membership of 14 countries and three international non-governmental organizations, IDEA works to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide. It acts as a meeting place for all the global actors involved in the democratic process.

“Democracy is not a quick fix but demands a long-term commitment and a myriad of interdependent factors such as a basic education for all, a free media, an independent judiciary, and political parties,” says Mr Säve-Söderbergh. “International IDEA was established in response to the need for a serious and long-term approach to the challenges of democracy.”

Two global reports will be launched by IDEA during the Forum. The first, Voter Turnout 1945 to 1997: A Global Report on Popular Participation, will be launched during a press conference at the Parliament on July 2 and gives league tables of the highest versus lowest voter turnout in virtually all nations having elected legislatures and leaders of government. Based on information from over 1,400 parliamentary and presidential elections from 175 countries, it answers questions about the link between voter participation, and other indicators of development and democracy. The second, entitled IDEA Handbook of Electoral System Design, includes an overview of various electoral systems and an analysis of the practical consequences of choosing different election systems. Participants in the 1997 Democracy Forum also include, Mr M.S. Merafhe, Foreign Minister of Botswana, Mr Aryeh Nier, President of Open Society Institute, Ms Tahmin Daultana, Member of Parliament, Islamabad, Pakistan, Mr Peter Preston, President of the International Press Institute, Ms. Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, former Prime Minister of Portugal, Mr Morton Halperin, former Member of the National Security Council, USA, Dr Eduardo Stein, Foreign Minister of Guatemala, and Lord David Steel, former Leader of the British Liberal Party.

Participants will debate topics as diverse as “Africa: Wave of Elections, Wave of Democracy”, “Stolen Elections: The Case of Burma”, “Ballots instead of Bullets: The Challenge of Sustaining Democracy in Central America”, “Reconciliation and Justice; An Ethical and Political Challenge,” and “Women in Politics: Has anything Changed?”

The 1997 Democracy Forum also coincides with the annual Council meeting of International IDEA, as well as the Board Meeting. A meeting of electoral authorities of member countries will be held on 30 June to 1 July 1997.

International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) was founded in February 1995. The Institute’s overall objective is to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide and to improve and consolidate electoral processes. To date, Members are Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Costa Rica, Chile, Denmark, Finland, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the International Press Institute, and Parliamentarians for Global Action. The Institute also has co-operative agreements with the International Commission of Jurists, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the United Nations Development Programme. Switzerland also contributes to the work of the Institute.